"Now listen here you useless girl. I am going to work and I won't be back until evening. Make sure to clean up the house, cook a meal for Basit and wash the bowls afterwards. Don't leave the house to that pathetic school until you have done all that I have mentioned!!!" her supposed older maternal cousin Roti growled at her in pure hatred.
Hikma had no priviledge to call this woman, sister. Or even by her name. Roti made sure that Hikma always called her aunt. And so gradually, it stuck.
Roti which happened to be her real name and the name of a food in some country was probably given to her by her illegitimate father who happened to be disappointed about her birth. And so he paid no proper attention to her upbringing.
Roti had grew up with malice towards her family and everything that was considered good in the family. It was without doubt that when she was promised marriage by a man she was seeing who turned out to be a phoney and got her pregnant before fleeing, her hatred grew more and more intense towards family and outsiders.
She had her son Basit when she was just 17 years old. The now 20 year old unemployed simp and petty thief still lived with her. So the fact that she had to take care of her late older brother's daughter was a blessing and burden to her.
A blessing because, she had a personal and wage free slave and a burden because, there were now 3 heads to feed.
"Yes...Aunt" the young maiden stammered in fear. Just few days ago, her cousin slapped her hard causing her to burn her arm on the gas stove for not arranging the dirty clothes in order. What could she do ? She had no idea where to go if she ever decided to leave.
Her cousin had always been one who would try to bring down her self esteem. She always called the meek young girl, Ugly and Useless. She grew up to think of herself as ugly as a burnt alive vulture. She had no eyes to see neither the world around her nor her own self.
"Good! Now get out and make me breakfast!" Roti snapped.
The young maiden walked with meditated steps out of her cousin's room.
They had a very tiny apartment with no proper kitchen or washroom. She had to sleep on the bed beside the dirty bathroom which was invaded by rats and other dangerous crawling creatures.
She was blind and so didn't really see these creatures. She would fall terribly ill at times and her aunt would only tell her that she was just having a fever and would merely give her painkillers. Only God kept her alive till now. She mostly suffered poisoning but she remained unaided to, until God healed her.
The young maiden walked blindly into the kitchen. Because of her disability, she had to know places like the palm of her hand which she never saw.
She knew someone was there. She could feel his presence. Her face went pale and her lips became line. She looked like a vulnerable doll. Her older nephew Basit was here and it was obvious he was here with his friends.
Basit was about 20 and very perverted. Many times he had tried to force himself on her. But something would just stop him. She always feared him. He could easily take advantage of her if he wanted to because of her disability.
"Hello little girl" she heard him whisper from behind her. She gulped and a drop of tear left her eye. She tried to move away from him and ended up bumping into another person. She was surrounded. She always had this feeling that Basit was a tall young man.
She could even feel it. She could hear their chuckles.
Suddenly someone grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her viciously to him.
She let out an ear piercing scream.
"Please stop. I beg you" she begged as this strange person pulled her into him.
"Shhh baby. You will enjoy this" Basit whispered to her with his stinky breath.
"Leave the damned girl alone Basit and get the hell out of the house with that stupid friend of yours!!!" Aunt Roti's , as Hikma called her, loud hoarse voice came from the room.
Basit growled in distaste and his friend looked hurt by the verbal abuse Roti spat towards him.
"You are lucky baby. But you won't be next time" Basit whispered seductively to her making her feel nauseous because of his horrible bad breath.
Basit pushed her away and stomped out of their little home.
The maiden scratched her arm once again against the rough floor. She hissed in pain. She managed to get up and dressed the wound before preparing a simple meal for her aunt.
After ensuring that her work was done, she dressed up and got ready to go to her little workplace.
****
"Look I apologise sincerely for what and how my older brother treated you. I had to find you and check if you were alright" Sara explained to the maiden as she sat with her at the gate leading to the little nursery school for the poor kids just a few kilometres away from the local mosque where the maiden taught.
It had been 3 days since the incident happened and she hadn't been at ease since their car knocked down the maiden. She got fed up of the mental torture and decided to ask around to find the maiden.
Finally she found her and decided to make it up to her.
The maiden made just a few rupees here but enough to keep her alive and get her fairly good second hand clothes since her aunt insisted that she wore rags. The rest of the money was given to the orphans, if only her cousin didn't forcefully take it away from her.
"It's alright Ma'am. I understand. Please don't worry about it." the maiden assured her.
"Thank you so much. Umm...if this might not seem awkward to you, I'm getting engaged soon and I'd like to invite you. As my new friend and as the bride's maid " Sara offered shyly.
The young lady herself looked surprised.
"Thank you so much Ma'am. But I am blind and would probably be useless at a wedding. Besides, my cousin won't let me come" she explained sadly to Sara.
Sara saw the situation that this girl was going through and felt remorse for her.
"Your cousin seems to be quite a nasty lady" Sara commented while they both giggled at that. It was her first time noticing her happy face. It was beautiful though in Niqab. Her eyes were beautiful brown with lovely long lashes.
"Wallah. You wouldn't want to know how unpleasant she can be." the maiden added making them giggle even more.
After chatting for so long, Sara decided to call it a day when the maiden had to get home before her cousin beat her up.
"Before you go. You haven't told me your name yet. I don't want to be calling my bestie by any name apart from what her parents gave her.
" I don't know who my parents are. Neither do I know the name they gave me. But from what I remember, my cousin sometimes calls me Hikma. At least, that's a name I can call mine" she muttered sadly.
"I am so sorry Hikma. You have a very lovely name and I do hope your parents rest in peace wherever they are" Sara consoled.
The young maiden smiled and thanked her.
"I have to go please...my cousin will beat me if I don't get home now" Hikma complained wretchedly as she realised she was keeping too long.
"Your cousin beats y-.." Sara couldn't complete the statement when a hoarse female voice interrupted her.
"Oh Finally! Hikma dearest! Here you are ! I'm glad I finally found you! I was worried about you! " it was Hikma's cousin, Roti. A drop of cold sweat slid down Hikma's face. The mere tone in which her cousin spoke was a terrifying and choking one. She could feel pretentious affection in her tone.
"Ahhh Ms. Sara. What a surprise! This is my niece Hikma" Hikma's cousin only now recognised the young lady before her. She was the only daughter of the woman she worked for. She had just completed her shift and had returned home not to meet Hikma.
She decided to go look for her and here she found her sitting here chatting with her employer's daughter. It seemed like they were good friends. She just wondered how they had met and how they became friends.
"Hello Mrs. Roti. I didn't know Hikma was your cousin. Well we met just a few days ago when Gabriel arrived" Sara briefly explained.
"Oh that's very nice to know. My shift ended about an hour ago, so I'm going to have to go home with Hikma now and rest. " Roti told Sara.
"Yes she told me. I only came here to apologise to her on Gabriel's behalf and also invite her to my engagement next week." Sara added.
Roti looked quite surprised but kept a calm fake smile on her face.
An awkward silence was supreme as Sara noticed the fright in the young girl's eyes. There was this unpleasant aura Roti gave off and it was extremely disgusting.
"Okay I have to go now" Sara announced. She was going to inform her mother immediately about Roti and about what she used to do to her niece.
"Okay. Goodbye Ma'am" Roti waved Sara who ignored her.
"Goodbye Hikma." Sara waved at the blind girl. The girl had no idea what was going to happen. She feared the wrath of her aunt.
Sara walked away to the waiting Range Rover and asked the driver to speed off.
****
Hikma followed behind her cousin Roti who was growling lowly and muttering angry stuff under her breath. She was scared. She was hoping her cousin wouldn't beat her up or starve her or collect the little money she had on her. But deep within her, she knew that something very bad was coming.
When they got home, Hikma was pulled viciously into the room and was sat down on the bed.
"How did you meet her?!!!" Roti snapped at Hikma. Hikma knew failure to speak would call for abuse. She faltered in her speech.
"I was going for J-Jummah prayers a-and h-her b-brother's car knocked me down. S-She only came to apologise..." she stammered.
"And you decided to tell her that I beat you...?" her cousin whispered in a sinister tone. Hikma gulped. How did she know that ? Had she perhaps been eavesdropping on their conversation? Or had that lady who seemed to be so nice to her told on her ?
"P-Please..." she was knocked out by a mighty slap that sent her falling to the ground. A loud ear piercing scream escaped her. Her head banged against the ironing table closer to the bed which sent the hot iron falling unto her bruised arm and scalding her physically and mentally.
"That will teach you to disobey me and trying to find solace in people" Roti growled at her. Hikma lay on the ground weeping while trying to soothe her scalded arm.
"Tomorrow at 11:00, someone is going to arrive here. He has been a family friend since forever. And you are going to get dressed to meet him. I bought you a few dresses. Choose one from them. I don't care if you can't see what they look like, just choose one and wear it. And be of the best, most submissive behaviour tomorrow or else...." Roti didn't need to complete the statement.
Hikma knew what would happen if she failed to comply. And she knew that worse days were coming. What was going to happen tomorrow? Was she going to be sent away?
That would be a dream come true for her since she wouldn't have to face the wrath of her cousin and her perverted nephew Basit.
Her heart was pure. Too pure that it made her very vulnerable. Too innocent was she that, many, especially her aunt took advantage of her and her disability.
What was her crime? Being naive ? Being blind ? or Being both ?
Her hidden tears and silent prayers were what kept her company when the burdens of the world seemed to heavy for her to carry. When life turned gloomy, death seemed more inviting...
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS CHAPTER? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SARA ? IS SHE GOING TO HELP SAVE HIKMA FROM THE MANACLE OF HER AUNT? AND HOW?
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